Hi All--Most of us have heard of the rule about perennial growth that says"sleep, creep and leap" to describe the first three years after the plant is planted. For my Dick Ward, the rule would have to be something like "sleep, creep, take a nap, get fat, go on a diet, fall off the diet". When I got the plant in 2000 I expected it to be about 56x21, which is how Zilis listed it. Because of the way it was growing, after a few years I checked the Library and found an expected mature size of 30x16. In 2001 it measured 19x9 and in 2002 it was 25x9. In 2003 it was 22x9 but had about twice as many leaves. In 2004 it was 23x7 with fewer leaves and in 2005 it made it all the way to 30x15 but with fewer leaves than in 2004. Finally, in 2006 it was 32x16 and had a wonder full set of leaves. Dick Ward is the only plant that has had this kind of up and down growth pattern for me. It has only had the one location, getting about 4-5 hours of sun and plenty of water each year. I am showing photos from 2002, 2003, and 2004 in this posting and 2005, and 2006 in the next posting. For some reason the software wants to show the photos in the order of 2003 then 2002 and then 2004.

All that aside, Dick Ward is a very attractive plant that has been free of slug damage although this area of our garden may be free of the slimy critters after several years of being treated with Deadline MP.

Family information... Dick Ward is the green-margined sport of Zounds. I think it is a very nice hosta.

Now... I, of course, think I should have a family planting with Zounds, Dick Ward, and a green-centered sport. I see Zilis lists two of the latter... Laura and Darrell (1997, D&J Ward) (talk about naming a hosta for a special reason without much attention to marketing!) and American Eagle (1999, V.Wade)
--- anybody have experience with these?

With Zounds in parentage it sounds normal to me- after 5 years Zounds is still one step ahead- one step back.... but you tell me there is hope- thanks, love the pic of Zounds- but it have been close to leave the garden.
Dick Ward is nice- but do not thing we can live less problematic than gardensharing with Zounds, so...